Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 ½ cup coconut flakes, preferably fresh

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the butter, condensed milk and 1 cup coconut flakes. Cook, constantly stirring, until the mixture thickens and you can see large air bubbles forming on the surface; about 10 minutes (you must be able to see quite a bit of the bottom of the pan.) Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Let it cool to room temperature.

Grease hands with butter or cooking spray. Take small amounts of mixture (about 1 teaspoon) and roll it until you form a ball. Roll the ball over the remaining coconut flakes and place them on small size candy cups. Serve it at room temperature or refrigerate until serving.

Notes:

This delicious coconut dessert is traditional from Brazil and just like the Brigadeiro, it is a favorite at birthday parties. The guidelines for this recipe are similar to the ones you must follow for the Brigadeiro:

Constantly stir;

Cook on medium heat;

Make sure the mixture is really thick before removing from heat. Being able to see quite a bit of the bottom of pan while stirring is the best way to tell the balls will not fall apart when you are rolling them;

Let it cool completely before rolling it - you can even refrigerate it for a couple of hours before;

Grease your hands as many times as needed (this will make the work less messy and you will turn out with perfect little balls.)

Fresh coconut flakes taste best. Goya offers it grated and frozen and it is available at most international grocery stores. Just make sure you use regular coconut flakes (not frozen) to sprinkle on top. In case you cannot find fresh or frozen flakes, the packed version will do a great job too.

I made this recipe for my son's birthday party and everyone loved it! It also makes a great filling for cakes.